Show I m u uBy 11 Indian j jI N Lodge Tales I I By ByFord ByFord Ford C. C Frick n fi I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I THE LEGEND OF FATHER SUN WHEN MIEN the Navajos came up out of the world of oC twilight Into the world of or sunshine and light the they were very cry huppy and und with one accord they fell Cell on their knees and sad made sacrifice to the Father Sun who brightened the veils her and made the world warm end ind comfortable for the tribesmen When they had b b ome owe settled In their new world and hud had their and made their fires then they ther planted their crops crOllS In order ordel that the they might live In comfort Round about them h m thc they planted golden olden nual a a and und gain wain and many foods Their flocks they thc took tool Into the green fields to calif eat cal if the grass and their horses horses- and their cattle the they turned loo loose e to roam roamn n the beautiful valley aIle where they had rome come But as the days das went on the crops failed Called and the grass turned brown and the str streams ams dried up and the Navajos were much perturbed for they knew not what to do dos do F To For f the sun gun sweeping through the sl ski had ome close to earth and th heat which at first had seemed pleasant ft the became unbearable unbearable and and ev J e tribesmen themselves were made sick b. b by the brightness of Its rays Many there were among the tribesmen who I wished themselves back In the world of twilight t but the road had been closed and only a n great grent mountain remained remained re re- re- re to mark where the roadway had been As the summer came on man many of the tho tribesmen became sick unto d death ath for the h heat at was terrific but terrific but there was no place to go and no place to turn for all the world was a vast desert burned by the ra rays s 's of the Father Sun SUllo AS matters became worse vorse and worse the tribesmen became desperate and finall finally one day called a n great rent council of the chief and the head headmen headmen headmen men and the witch doctors For ten days and ten nights these hoer Ihen sat In solemn conclave to determine what best host might be done to relieve their oppressed people FInall Finally at the end of the ten days and the thc ten nights they called the tribe together and the whole tribe even the women and the children went to the top of a high hill hili and there the they built altars and offered up sacrifices and prayed praed to the Father Sun that he might move move back Into the heaven hen so his ra rays s 's would not be beso beso beso so hot When the they had prayed for a n long longtime longtime longtime time then the Father Sun sent ent down downto to them a n lesser god from the sky sly and the lesser god came up to the chiefs and the medicine men men and told them that the sun had heard their prayer And lAnd so long as you remain faithful faithful faith faith- ful to the Father Sun who provides you ou with heat hent and with light so long longwill longwill longwill will he protect you ou the messenger said And when another day comes then will the sun move back in the heavens and the grass will grow green and water will flow through the streams and flowers will bloom and the land nd will be a land of happiness pod end prosperity for the Navajos When he had finished speaking the messenger disappeared In a great reat cloud clou and the people marveled much an and anil fell feU on their faces and gave gaye thanks hanks When another day clay came It was as the messenger had said for the sun lad hind moved back Into the sky and the theair air was cool and the trees grew rew leaves and the corn sprouted and flowers bloomed and the world was a world of happiness So It has been to this day And the he sun who Is s the father who protects pro the Navajos has hns ever eyer warmed the earth with his rn rays s 's and caused the corn to grow and the flowers to bloom Nor have the Navajos forgotten the promise they made many years earB ago on n the great hilltop when the world was young young- Each morning when they the arise they face toward the cast east and give thanks to the Father Sun who gives them warmth and light and each ench night they face toward the west and give Ive thanks for the day that has gone Here In our village If you will look 1001 you oU will see that every ever house faces the east t and each morning we are awakened by the early earb rays of ot tale MIL sun SHU which come In through th doors un l the windows windows for for that Is as us It should be and even as It was promised promised prom prom- sed by the great chiefs ages and ages ago when the Navajos came out of the i world of twilight Into the world of ot sunshIne and light |